The emergence of a South African womanist consciousness : a meta- analysis.

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Abstract

The emergence of a South African womanist (Black) consciousness was
investigated. More specifically, the present study examined how the politics
of survival gives rise to a feminist consciousness. A meta-analysis of 8 case
studies was conducted on how (South) African women's daily struggle for
survival in three socio-political and historical contexts translated into a
womanist consciousness. Of the 8 case studies examined. 2 pertained to
(South) African women's involvement in the national liberation struggle, 3
pertained to the migrant labor system, and the remaining three pertained to
the struggie against poverty as a context for the emergence of a womanist consciousness. It was found that women's involvement in the national
liberation struggle, the migrant labor system, and the struggle against
poverty provided a context in which (South) African women learned about
their feminism. The results suggest that the new Black feminism that is
slowly emerging on the African continent is rooted in the politics of
survival. Also, the findings from the study suggest that the current state of
African women's engagement with feminism is one of two extremes. On the
one hand, women are individually advancing themselves and on the other
women are collectively/politically organizing for the good of all women.
The implication of the findings are that (poor) African women's daily struggle for survival leads them (through their actions) to engage with
feminism. This in turn sets the stage for an emerging African womanist
consciousness. Furthennore, the results of this study imply that in order for
the newly emerging Black feminism to grow and make a meaningful
contribution in the lives of all, African women need to engage with
feminism at a collective, and not just individual level.